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‘Trees matter too’ was the message from angry Langport residents who have been protesting over house plans which will result in a hedge’s destruction.

A horde of ‘disgusted’ town council and Transition Langport members marched on land opposite Kelways Plants Ltd to protest against Persimmon Homes’ approved plans for 80 new homes on the site.

Placards carried the messages ‘life is a beech, don’t destroy it’, ‘trees matter too’ and ‘save our hedges, wildlife needs them’ to highlight their concerns over the loss of habitat for creatures including hedgehogs and dormice when the hedge avenue is destroyed.

The plans have angered and upset a number of people in the town - twice there have been demonstrations on the land earmarked for development and a petition has also launched.

The hedge in Langport which will be destroyed (Pictures: Len Copland)

Councillor Cara Naden, vice-chairman of Langport Town Council and member of Transition Langport, said: "There is local upset that the 70-year-old beech hedge avenue is being destroyed by Persimmon Homes.

"Kelways has is a listed building and there is anger that the beech hedge avenue wasn't included.

"It is disgusting that they are unnecessarily destroying this natural habitat for profit - the development could have incorporated the lovely beech hedge avenue.

Cara Naden is angry that wildlife habitats will be lost (Pictures: Len Copland)

"Not only will the environmental impact and destruction of the ancient beech hedge avenue have diverse negative impacts on the local ecology, environment and health and well-being of the community, the build quality and visual impact of the proposed housing would be beyond disgraceful, totally un-environmentally friendly, of poor quality and would certainly not warrant the destruction of biodiversity this development would cause.

"Dormice and hedgehogs are on that list and there has been evidence that dormice live in the beech hedge avenue. Hedgehogs have not been surveyed but are likely to inhabit there, too."

Cara Naden and fellow protestors gather at the site of the condemned beech trees in Langport (Pictures: Len Copland)

Persimmon Homes was originally refused permission to build on the Kelways Trial Ground.

They initially had two plans turned down by South Somerset District Council - one for 94 homes and one for 80 homes.

Persimmon's 94-home plan was refused planning permission in January on the grounds of "over-development" and that the resulting estate would be "cramped".

This 80-home plan was eventually given the go-ahead on July 27 following a meeting with the council's regulation committee, despite a 400-signature petition at the time of approval.

Cara Naden and fellow protesters gather at the site of the condemned beech trees in Langport (Pictures: Len Copland)

Cara added: "This is one of the last green corridors in the area due to recent development destroying habitats.

"Developments should be retaining hedges to maintain important habitat and connectivity (green corridors) on development sites. Hedges and trees aren’t being replaced because very rarely are there any follow-ups on any ecological conditions put into planning consents where hedges and trees are concerned.

"And even if developers do plant trees as they are required to, there is nothing set in place to protect them once out of planning and allow them to grow on to maturity.

'Trees matter too' a member of the protest group makes her feelings known (Pictures: Len Copland)

"Our mature trees and hedges are being lost which are important to birds, bats, invertebrates, dormice and new planted trees and hedges aren’t replacing habitat fast enough.

"Housing requirements have been met for this area. There is also a well supported local petition underway requesting the beech hedge avenue to be saved.

"The beech hedge avenue is a feeding ground for a huge number"

"Many local people have put up banners on the site highlighting the destruction of the beech hedge avenue. They are also contacting the shareholders of the Persimmon Homes, the MP, county councillor and the ecology consultancy who are undertaking the removal work."

Persimmon Homes has said the surveys necessary to obtain planning permission have been carried out and the development will include “much needed” accommodation for people in the area.